As is known in the art, walk behind powered equipment is often used in a wide variety of applications, such as lawn mowers, greens mowers, roto-tillers, aerators, snowblowers, and the like. Walk behind powered equipment typically includes an engine, either an internal combustion engine and/or electric motor, that is used to power a drive system and/or implement disengagement systems to propel the unit and operate the device, respectively. In the interest of safety, it is well known to use an operator presence system that must be triggered by an operator to ensure positive control of the powered equipment.
To this end, many known operator presence systems utilize a two stage detection system. For example, with regard to drive systems, a first stage includes actuation of a bail member into a retained position—typically by a gripping motion by the operator. Once the bail member has been gripped and retained, the drive lever is then unlocked and, thus, may be actuated by the operator to command forward or reverse movement. Alternatively, some systems employ a lockout lever that must first be actuated by the operator before a bail member can be squeezed to command movement or implement engagement.
Unfortunately, these prior art designs often suffer from a number of disadvantages. Specifically, known operator presence systems often require cumbersome actuation—that is, the simultaneous actuation of multiple levers to command a single drive movement or implement engagement. Such cumbersome actuation of the controls may inhibit the efficient use and controllability of the equipment. Additionally, such prior art designs often require extensive and complicated mechanical or electrical systems. Over time, these complex systems invariably suffer from failure and/or increased maintenance. Still further, the added complexity of these systems often lead to increased production costs.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide an operator presence system for powered equipment that is capable of simply and reliably detecting the presence of an operator before permitting commanded operations. Furthermore, there is a need in the relevant art to provide an operator presence system for powered equipment that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.